<This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received this for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review que, considering it is a new release and the info may be helpful for folks deciding to purchase it. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.>

Cider Description:2 Towns Ciderhouse releases Man Gogh, a tropical-inspired Limited Release Imperial Cider, available starting this week. Tangy and equatorial, Man Gogh is a true masterpiece, artfully bringing together tropical fruit and peppers. Fresh ingredients with opposing characteristics work together to whisk you away to paradise. Van Gogh himself once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

“2 Towns created this cider as a ray of sunshine for the cold, dark days of winter,” says Matt Dickason, cellar manager. “The freshness of the juicy mango blends seamlessly with the hot habaneros. We went easy on the habanero burn and worked to capture the fruity profile of the peppers. The result is a work of art. ” We suggest pairing Man Gogh with Christmas tamales and Baja cuisine, like Wahoo tacos.

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of mango, pineapple, citrus, and a hint of habanero. Long warming finish (from both the high ABV and the habanero). Very low spiciness (not really noticeable until you drink a few sips, and mostly in the finish). Moderate sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity. Low apple flavor.

My Opinion: Great! I was really surprised I enjoyed this, as I was expecting it would be quite spicy, like every other cider I’d had with habanero, jalapeno, sriracha, etc. The flavor and sweetness were spot-on. I was also surprised how easy this was to drink, unexpected for an imperial-style spicy cider.

Cidery Description: Thompson Creek ciders are made from and inspired by the heirloom and cider apple varieties of apples we grow on our Applegate orchard. The cider makers of Apple Outlaw use various methods of maturation, aging, and blending to showcase the unique and exquisite qualities these apples have to offer. These ciders should be pondered with reflection, cellared neck up and are best served at 50-55 degrees.

Price: $14.50Where Bought: Bushwhacker Cider in Portland Oregon, in Spring 2017Where Drank: homeHow Found: Browsing. At that time I hadn’t seen any of Apple Outlaw’s Thompson Creek ciders, but I have since (including in the Seattle area).

My Opinion: On this cider, my opinion was rather indifferent, but that was primarily as I prefer slightly sweeter ciders with more flavor. I’d be interested in tasting a cider from them which was semi-dry cider and made from cider apples. Creekside became more flavorful and less sharp as it warmed up; therefore, same as recommended by the cidery, I’d suggest to drink it in between fridge and room temperature. Very food friendly.

Review of 2 Towns’ Hollow Jack, a seasonal cider with pumpkin, sweet potato, and pie spices. I sampled this last year (see here), and I’ve tried most of their line-up (see here).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Availability: Seasonably (September to November), primarily CA, OR, & WA, although in general their ciders are available in AK, CA, HI, ID, IL (Chicago), MN, NV, OR, and WA. See their Cider Finder.

Cider Description:Mischievous & spiced, Hollow Jack is far from empty. A brew of fresh-pressed apples, caramelized pumpkin and sweet potatoes is finished with a dash of honey and spices to carve out this special Fall cider.

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99 / 500mlWhere Bought: n/aWhere Drank: homeHow Found: I first tried it at Cider Summit Seattle 2016, but this time it just showed up

My Opinion: Although I’m not a huge pumpkin / spiced cider fan, I liked this one, and it is my favorite of the five I’ve tried.

Most Similar to:Doc’s Draft Pumpkin cider (although that was a full sweet) and Tieton’s Smoked Pumpkin cider (although that was quite intensely flavored compared to this). I’ve also tried pumpkin ciders from Ace and Woodchuck.

Closing Notes: Unlike many pumpkin ciders (and beers), this one is actually made with pumpkin. Many just add the pie spices but still call it a pumpkin cider (or beer). Also, it is well balanced, with both the pumpkin and spices remaining light.

Cidery Description: The Oregon\Washington Cider Collective is a community of uncompromising American cider makers. We’re foraging the nation for the last remaining cider trees prohibition couldn’t kill. Our mission is to plant orchards of historical apple trees in the Pacific Northwest and bring back the finest USA-made cider since prohibition.

Price: $14Where Bought: Bushwhacker Cider in Portland ORWhere Drank: homeHow Found: Browsing. I had never heard of this cidery before.

My Opinion: Definitely not what I was expecting. I actually didn’t taste any plum, just a hint of apricot / peach. With the sourness and funk, I’d guess it was made with wild yeast. If you are into farmhouse-style ciders and such, then I’d recommend it. However, this isn’t a style of cider I enjoy (yet).

Most Similar to: Rustic & farmhouse-style ciders and Spanish Sidra and the like

Closing Notes: This was at a nice price point, especially for a small batch / limited release (hand-labeled!). I’d be interested in trying something else from them in the future.

ADDED – Additional Info from the Cidery: OR/WA commented on my Facebook post that this was a very limited bottle release (only half a case!?), the cider portion was farmhouse-style, and that Bushwhacker in Portland is the best place to find their small batch ciders (including some on tap). Very cool.

Have you tried anything from OR/WA Cider Collective? What did you think?

Availability: Oregon, Washington, and California (per Cider Journal, as of 2015, although I have not seen them in the Seattle area), and appear to be distributed through Shelton Brothers

Cider Description:Finnegan Cider Harvest Blend highlights the ripe apple characteristics of class English, American, and French cider apples such as Porter’s Perfection, Chisel Jersey, Ashmead’s Kernel, Calville Blanc, and others. Our cider is a balance of the crucial elements of distinguished cider: tannin, acidity, and aromaticity. Finnegan Cider features aromas of honeysuckle, melon, and ripe apples, with flavors of peach, apricot, and cognac, and it pairs superbly from appetizer to entree.

Finnegan Cider has been around since 2010, and planted their own orchard in 2012. The owners/cidermakers are Colleen Finnegan and Josh Johnson. Here is a nice writeup from Beervana, who visited with Josh Johnson at their orchard. At least as of that 2013 article, Josh worked full time as a neurologist (impressive!).

Price: $7.35Where Bought: Bushwhacker Cider in Portland OregonWhere Drank: homeHow Found: Browsing. I picked up a lot of ciders that day when I was in town for Cider Rite of Spring. I had never heard of this cidery and the description on the bottle sounded awesome.

First Impression: Light orange amber. Moderate to high carbonation (it tried to overflow after opening…). Smells rich, of ripe apples, caramel, and leather.

My Opinion: Excellent. I liked the richness, carbonation, unique combination of flavor notes…everything. Also, this was surprisingly boozy tasting for the ABV (especially on the finish), but in a good way.

Most Similar to: It tastes in between English cyder and French cidre, with the high carbonation & apple-forward flavor of a French cider, the richness & tannins of an English cider, and the cider apple flavor & hint of funk from both.

Closing Notes: This cider is a great value; I would usually pay $15-20 for 750ml of cider from cider apples like this, so $10-13 for 500ml. Hopefully I can find more of their cider sometime soon. I’m actually surprised I’ve never heard of this cidery previously; they remind me of EZ Orchards, also in Oregon, sold in 500ml bottles, and an excellent value.

Review of 2 Towns’ Cot in the Act, an apricot infused seasonal cider. I sampled this last year (see here), and I’ve tried most of their line-up (see here).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider Description:Luminous & divine, Cot in the Act is just too tempting to resist, coupling Northwest apples with local Rival apricots. Referred to as “golden eggs of the sun” by the Greeks, apricots make this seasonal cider the perfect summer treat.

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

My Opinion: Yum! I really enjoyed how flavorful and juicy this cider was without being sweet (and it tasted even sweeter than the listed sugar content). It is often difficult to find a drier but flavorful cider.

Most Similar to: I’ve also tried apricot ciders from Anthem, Atlas, Carlton, Locust, Stem, Summit, and Tieton. The most similar was from Summit (as it was also a semi-dry, but flavorful), followed by those from Atlas & Locust, (although both of those were sweeter).

Cider Description:Hard Cider Made Easy. Our ciders were born from the bounty of the Northwest and the pioneering spirit of our grandparents. A perfect balance of dry and tart, our ciders are made by the people, for the people. Press on.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Carbonated mouthfeel. Very high acid. Moderate to high tartness. Hints of sourness and bitterness. No tannins or funk. Notes of honey, citrus, and floral. Long beer-like finish (my husband said it was like a Kolsch). Moderate apple and honey flavor. Low to moderate flavor intensity, sessionability, and complexity.

My Opinion: I thought it was pretty average. Refreshing, but a bit mouth-puckering. Its not really a style I enjoy, but everyone has different tastes.

Most Similar to: Not much. All the other cysers I’ve tried have been much sweeter. I have sampled some drier meads before, but I usually like my beverages more full-flavored, so for mead I tend towards sweeter ones. It reminds me a bit however of Angry Orchard Walden Hollow.

Closing Notes: I’ve now tried their current full cider lineup, and to be honest, I don’t think they are for me (although my favorite of the three was the Hopped). If you like a dry, acidic, and more heavily carbonated cider (or mead), give them a try.